Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to launch a door-to-door count of out-of-school children as part of a new effort to bring them back into classrooms.
The plan was finalised after a memorandum of understanding was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
Four departments will work together under the initiative, including the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, Local Government Department, Health Department and Social Welfare Department.
Officials said a comprehensive survey will be conducted across the province to identify the exact number and locations of children who are not attending school. A new “One Map” system will also be set up for this purpose.
According to the briefing, the 2023 census shows that around 4.9 million children between the ages of 5 and 16 live in the province, while the education department says 2.6 million of them are not in school.
In the first phase, the government aims to immediately enrol 60% of out-of-school children. Data of children up to five years old will also be collected to support future school planning.
The province will use government schools, double shifts, community schools, digital platforms and private partnerships to educate these children. Students leaving school because of poverty will be supported through scholarships, Zakat and other social assistance.
Teenagers aged 14 to 16 will receive vocational training under the United Nations programme “Generation Unlimited”.
Provincial and district-level steering committees will monitor the project, while an independent body will verify 5% of the surveyed data for transparency. Scholarship payments for children will be linked to at least 75% attendance.
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